**1. Introduction**

The Republic of North Macedonia is a land-locked country in southeastern Europe in the Balkan Peninsula, with 850 km of frontier with five countries: Serbia, Kosovo, Montenegro, Albania, Bulgaria, and Greece. The country has a surface area of 25,713 km2 . Half of this area (1.26 Mio. ha) is agricultural land, out of which 560,000 ha are classified as cultivated land and 704,000 ha as permanent pastures. Mountainous forest land covers 37% of the country, and about 2% is covered by lakes. Livestock and goat farming is very important in the Polog area, in the foot of the Sharr Mountain. These areas represent a mountain chain stretching from the southern part of Kosovo and northwestern Macedonia to northeastern Albania. The Sharr Mountain represents the largest mountain massive in Macedonia and extends to these geographic coordinates, between 42°41′43″ and 42°16′34″ north latitude, as well as between 20°34′51″ and 21o 16′00″. The mountain system is about 80 km long and 10–20 kilometers wide. It includes a number of high points, among which the highest peak of the Titov vrv is 2747 m, Mali Turc (2702 m), Ljuboten (2498 m), and Bistra (2641 m).

Goat breeding in Macedonia is defined by spontaneous and continuous development, and with each day, there is major concern of farmers for goat's growth as a market that provides secure subsistence and business. The breed structure of goats in the country is based on the domestic Balkan goat with a certain representation of the Alpine breed goats, Saanen, and crossbreds of these races. The basic product

obtained from goats is goat's milk (which is commonly processed into white-brined cheese, yogurt, and kashkaval), kids, and goat meat [1]. The official restriction of goat breeding in the territory of Macedonia in 1947 resulted in disastrous consequences, which lasted for more than 40 years. The goats in the entire territory of the former Socialist Republic of Macedonia were slaughtered and rapidly reduced number from 516,800 in 1947 to 47,000 in 1949 or more than 90%. However, in 1989, goat production was again allowed, and since then, the interest of the farmers in goat production has increased [2].

Pacinovski et al. [3] reported that Goat livestock industry has a century-old tradition in Macedonia due to environmental factors and a type of vegetations suitable for goat breeding; wherefore, these animals have provided subsistence of the population in the past centuries. Historically, the number of goats bred in Macedonia was around 500,000 heads, with the law for prohibited goat breeding (Law for Prohibited Goat Breeding, 1948). This law had highly significant negative role in reducing the number of goats in the Republic of Macedonia. Petrovska et al. [4] emphasized that goat breeding in Macedonia is difficult due to a number of factors such as unfavorable racial composition and fragmentation of herds, unorganized and insecure sale of milk and dairy products, shortage of labor, weak and irregular application of selective measures in the herds, and more. However, compared with past years, it can be concluded that there is spontaneous and continuous development of the husbandry industry with growing interest of farmers for goat breeding. The total number of goats the Republic Macedonia is around 80,000 with a tendency to increase.

There are six genotypes (breeds) of goats present in Macedonia in the system for identification and marking of livestock within the Food and Veterinary Agency: domestic Balkan goat, Alpine, Saanen goat, crossbreeds with Alpine, crossbreeds with Saanen goat, and genotype registered under the name of other population. According the same agency, out of the total quantity in 2011, 48% of the total number of goats are domestic Balkan goats, 5.5% are Alpine goats, 7.9% are crossbreeds with Alpine goat, 7.8% are Saanen goats, 3.4% are crossbreeds with Saanen goat, and the rest are recorded as other breeds of goats [5].

According to Pacinovski et al. [6] and the data of the Food and Veterinary Agency, the department for identification and registering of domestic animals, there are six genotypes of goats in the Republic of Macedonia: domestic Balkan goat, Alpine, Saanen, Alpine crossbreed, crossbreeds with Saanen goat, and population registered under the term of other. The most represented goat breed in the country is domestic Balkan goat, with a number of around 38378 goats, goats registered as other with a number of 21772 goats, the number of crossbreeds with Alpine is 6330, Saanen with 6256 goats, Alpine is represented with 4193 and crossbreeds with Saanen are represented with 2735 goats*.* Balkan goat is well adopted to the existing climate conditions in the country as well as to the existing nutritional resources especially in the hilly mountainous areas of the Republic of Macedonia, which are not suitable for other domestic animals. It is the shrubbery vegetation which is especially attractive to goats. The excellent adaptability of the breed is due to the excellent health condition of goats manifested during the whole year. Compared to the other breeds (Alpine, Saanen, and crossbreeds between the same with other breeds), Balkan goat is extremely resistant to many diseases (chronic, bacterial, etc.). They are especially resistant to emergent climate changes that affect the goat health.

Traditional cheeses represent a cultural heritage and are the result of accumulated empirical knowledge passed from generation to generation [7]. Accurate and precise milk recording is one of the most significant moments for a successful selection of milking goats. In this context, breeders are constantly making efforts to find

**113**

*Goat Cheese Quality in North Macedonia DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.84545*

**2. Milk and cheese analysis**

Brilliant Blue G-250 dye [12, 13].

Kyoto, Japan) [14].

the most suitable and cheapest methods for conducting of tests for milk. According to Pacinovski et al. [8], in Macedonia predominate extensive goat dairy industry and machine milking are not widespread throughout the country. There is much to be done about the improvement of goat farms in respect to goat breeding and comprehensive mechanization of farm routines which both increase efficiency of the farms.

Milk and cheese samples were analyzed in duplicate for moisture, fat, salt, pH, titratable acidity (as percentage of lactic acid), and total nitrogen [9]. Total nitrogen (TN) content was estimated by the Kjeldahl method using a Kjeldahl device (model DS1; Simsek Laborteknik, Ankara, Turkey) [10]. The water-soluble nitrogen (WSN) and 12% TCA-soluble nitrogen (TCA-SN) as percentage of TN and total

The water-insoluble fractions of the cheeses were freeze-dried and then analyzed by urea-PAGE using a Protean II XI vertical slab gel unit (Bio-Rad

Laboratories Ltd., Watford, UK), and the gels were stained directly with Coomassie

After destaining using pure water, gel slabs were digitized using a scanner (HP Scanjet software, Scanjet G4010; Hewlett-Packard, Palo Alto, CA). Scans of the electrophoretograms were used to quantify bands using densitometric software (ImageMaster

The caseins and peptides were determined quantitatively by integration of peak volumes and areas using the densitometer. The WSN fractions of the cheeses were also freeze-dried for determination of peptide profiles. The analysis was realized by RP-HPLC using a Shimadzu LC 20 AD Prominence HPLC system (Shimadzu Corp.,

Solid-phase microextraction/GC-MS analysis of volatiles. Analysis of the volatiles was performed by a static solid-phase microextraction method, using aGC-MS system (Shimadzu Corp.). The identifications were based on comparing mass spectra of unknown compounds with those in the mass spectral library of John Wiley and Sons Inc. (2005) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology/Environmental Protection Agency/National Institutes of Health (NIST/EPA/NIH 02; http://www. nist.gov/srd/nist1a.cfm) mass spectral library. Identifications were also confirmed by

A total of 33 authentic standard compounds (Sigma Chemical Co., St. Louis, MO) were used to confirm the identities of volatile compounds in the cheese samples. The concentrations were calculated by the comparison of the peak areas of the internal standard containing mixture of 2-methyl-3-heptanone and 2-methyl-1-pentanoic acid in methanol (Sigma-Aldrich Co.) and unknown compounds. Each

Goat breeding is an important livestock branch, and great attention is paid to its development and industrialization in all Mediterranean countries. The composition of milk is of great importance for determining the technological properties of goat milk and for its further processing in a suitable type of cheese. According to the historiographic data, the golden period of the Macedonian livestock breeding was in the middle of the nineteenth century, when there were about 7–9 million sheep and

TotalLab Phoretix 1D Pro software; Keel House, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK).

comparing retention times with reference standards when available.

compound was expressed in micrograms per 100 g of cheese.

**3. Goat milk quality and cheese varieties**

2 million goats in Macedonia's borders [8].

free amino acid (FAA) of the cheeses were determined [11].

*Goats (Capra) - From Ancient to Modern*

in goat production has increased [2].

a tendency to increase.

obtained from goats is goat's milk (which is commonly processed into white-brined cheese, yogurt, and kashkaval), kids, and goat meat [1]. The official restriction of goat breeding in the territory of Macedonia in 1947 resulted in disastrous consequences, which lasted for more than 40 years. The goats in the entire territory of the former Socialist Republic of Macedonia were slaughtered and rapidly reduced number from 516,800 in 1947 to 47,000 in 1949 or more than 90%. However, in 1989, goat production was again allowed, and since then, the interest of the farmers

Pacinovski et al. [3] reported that Goat livestock industry has a century-old tradition in Macedonia due to environmental factors and a type of vegetations suitable for goat breeding; wherefore, these animals have provided subsistence of the population in the past centuries. Historically, the number of goats bred in Macedonia was around 500,000 heads, with the law for prohibited goat breeding (Law for Prohibited Goat Breeding, 1948). This law had highly significant negative role in reducing the number of goats in the Republic of Macedonia. Petrovska et al. [4] emphasized that goat breeding in Macedonia is difficult due to a number of factors such as unfavorable racial composition and fragmentation of herds, unorganized and insecure sale of milk and dairy products, shortage of labor, weak and irregular application of selective measures in the herds, and more. However, compared with past years, it can be concluded that there is spontaneous and continuous development of the husbandry industry with growing interest of farmers for goat breeding. The total number of goats the Republic Macedonia is around 80,000 with

There are six genotypes (breeds) of goats present in Macedonia in the system for identification and marking of livestock within the Food and Veterinary Agency: domestic Balkan goat, Alpine, Saanen goat, crossbreeds with Alpine, crossbreeds with Saanen goat, and genotype registered under the name of other population. According the same agency, out of the total quantity in 2011, 48% of the total number of goats are domestic Balkan goats, 5.5% are Alpine goats, 7.9% are crossbreeds with Alpine goat, 7.8% are Saanen goats, 3.4% are crossbreeds with Saanen goat,

According to Pacinovski et al. [6] and the data of the Food and Veterinary Agency, the department for identification and registering of domestic animals, there are six genotypes of goats in the Republic of Macedonia: domestic Balkan goat, Alpine, Saanen, Alpine crossbreed, crossbreeds with Saanen goat, and population registered under the term of other. The most represented goat breed in the country is domestic Balkan goat, with a number of around 38378 goats, goats registered as other with a number of 21772 goats, the number of crossbreeds with Alpine is 6330, Saanen with 6256 goats, Alpine is represented with 4193 and crossbreeds with Saanen are represented with 2735 goats*.* Balkan goat is well adopted to the existing climate conditions in the country as well as to the existing nutritional resources especially in the hilly mountainous areas of the Republic of Macedonia, which are not suitable for other domestic animals. It is the shrubbery vegetation which is especially attractive to goats. The excellent adaptability of the breed is due to the excellent health condition of goats manifested during the whole year. Compared to the other breeds (Alpine, Saanen, and crossbreeds between the same with other breeds), Balkan goat is extremely resistant to many diseases (chronic, bacterial, etc.). They are especially resistant to emergent climate changes

Traditional cheeses represent a cultural heritage and are the result of accumulated empirical knowledge passed from generation to generation [7]. Accurate and precise milk recording is one of the most significant moments for a successful selection of milking goats. In this context, breeders are constantly making efforts to find

and the rest are recorded as other breeds of goats [5].

**112**

that affect the goat health.

the most suitable and cheapest methods for conducting of tests for milk. According to Pacinovski et al. [8], in Macedonia predominate extensive goat dairy industry and machine milking are not widespread throughout the country. There is much to be done about the improvement of goat farms in respect to goat breeding and comprehensive mechanization of farm routines which both increase efficiency of the farms.
